James Gunn's DC Universe is about to get a whole lot weirder—and more simian. According to reports, comedian and YouTuber Jimmy Tatro is in negotiations to star as Gorilla Grodd in the upcoming spin-off series DC Crime. The show, which has yet to receive a formal greenlight, will pair Skyler Gisondo's intrepid Daily Planet photographer Jimmy Olsen with one of DC's most bizarre and fearsome villains.
Created by Tony Yacenda and Dan Perrault—the duo behind the satirical true-crime series American Vandal—DC Crime is described as a true-crime-styled docuseries. The first season will center on the super-intelligent Grodd, who made a brief cameo in Gunn's animated series Creature Commandos. Tatro, known for his roles in Modern Family, Home Economics, and Scream 7, as well as his starring turn in American Vandal, seems a perfect fit for the project's blend of humor and villainy.
Who Is Gorilla Grodd?
First appearing in 1959's The Flash #106 by writer John Broome and artist Carmine Infantino, Grodd started as an ordinary ape until an alien spaceship crash-landed near his troop. The strange radiation gave the gorillas enhanced intelligence and mental powers, leading them to build Gorilla City. But while most of his kind embraced peace, Grodd craved power. Using his telepathic abilities, he seized control of Gorilla City before being defeated by the Silver Age Flash, Barry Allen, who became his lifelong nemesis.
Grodd has appeared in numerous DC animated series, voiced by the late Powers Boothe in Justice League and John DiMaggio in Batman: The Brave and the Bold. He made his live-action debut on The CW's The Flash, voiced by David Sobolov, and even popped up on Legends of Tomorrow in a time-travel plot to assassinate a teenage Barack Obama. Now, he's set to headline his own series alongside one of Superman's closest allies.
Yacenda and Perrault will write, executive produce, and showrun DC Crime. Gunn and Peter Safran will also executive produce, with Galen Vaisman overseeing production. The series is still in development, with no release date announced yet.
For more on the expanding DC Universe, check out our coverage of the Mr. Terrific spin-off series penned by Sandman writer Allan Heinberg. And if you're a fan of unexpected villain casting, don't miss the news about Iko Uwais turning villain in the thriller 'Wings of Dread'.
Stay tuned to ShowtimeSpot for future updates on DC Crime and all things James Gunn's DC Universe.
